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Snake plant check up

Monique Wilson • April 11, 2020

How to help your snake plant through a Gippsland winter

Time to check in on your snake plants as we head towards winter in Gippsland so we can ensure they emerge from the cold strong and ready for some spring growth and maybe -just maybe some spring flowers. Yep they do flower, albeit very randomly but when they do it is quite a treat- long stems of tiny little slightly fragrant flowers that stand proud against the plant’s upright rigid leaves.

Firstly a couple of fun facts about this intriguing plant (whose botanical name is sansevieria) to help understand some of the tricks to keeping it thriving. It originated in tropical West Africa where is has been said to provide spiritual protection; protecting you from the malevolent stare of the “evil eye” which casts a curse on its victims. Perhaps this is the origins which lead to its nickname of Mother in Laws tongue, or perhaps this came about when people realised the plant could survive being neglected and asked to thrive in the toughest of growing conditions; who knows.

What we do know is the plant has learnt to adapt to long periods of receiving little or no additional water and has learnt to store moisture in its large fleshy leaves as well as its rhizome root system so watering is not the biggest priority for helping it to thrive. In fact, if you are planning on killing your snake plant the quickest way is to over water it and not allow it to dry out. We can also assume that originating from tropical West Africa the snake plant is not a lover of cold conditions and given that putting a jumper on them would not really blend in with our home décor we need to protect them from the cold. The bottom line is a cold and wet snake plant is likely to quickly become a dead one. So when we read all about Snake plants being on the indestructible plant list – remember whoever wrote that probably did not live in Gippsland.

Here are some tips to keep your snake plants thriving through the seasons in Gippsland

Planting medium

Make sure they are planted in a fast draining, gritty planting mix. A good quality cactus mix is the easiest to find and use. If you have purchased a sansevieria that is in peat moss re pot as soon as you can. Never plant into pots that do not have holes- unless you only plan to have it around for a short period of time.

Position

Snake plants prefer steady light on their foliage and can adapt to living in a sunny position, they will certainly enjoy autumn, winter and spring sunshine. Having said that they will also learn to cope in a lower light spot. In Gippsland they will generally be happy outside until winter comes and the night air is cold and moist. A good trigger point is to bring them inside once the nights drop below ten degrees. Snake plants outside during a Gippsland winter will generally be dead by spring- unless you are lucky!

Feeding and health care

You can spoil your snake plant with a fertiliser safe for potted succulents during the warmer months. For Gippsland we recommend some Munash organic soil food into the pots every two months Sept through to May and a dose of liquid plant food monthly Sept- Feb. Ideally a dose of Seaweed extract at the change of the seasons will help increase the plants immunity and encourage root activity. Don’t feed during winter – like us the plants want to hibernate, reward them with a couple of good feeds or liquid fertiliser and seaweed extract once spring hits (eg Natrasol or Seasol).

AND now the big one – Watering

Cold and wet snake plants are likely to rot and die! They may cope with being a little cold, they may cope with being a little wet but not both so watering addicts need to be strong and put the watering cans away. The amount of light the plant receives will influence how quickly it dries out so if the plant is in a lower light position you will need to water even less and in winter when the natural light is shorter every day you may not water at all. A general guideline – water weekly during summer if they are in a bright light or sunny position, fortnightly in autumn and spring and once the nights are under 10 degrees stop watering snake plants until spring warmth arrives. This may mean no water at all during winter. Even if your home is well heated in winter consider if you turn the heaters off at night and does the room go cold whilst you are asleep, also remember house plants appreciate a time of dormancy.

If your snake plant is in a low light position and tends to dry out slowly only water monthly (don’t water in winter). Pick a nice warm day to water them and water in the morning so they have all day to dry out.

A final word on watering; don’t water them if they fill wet even if it has been weeks since the last water. IF a snake plant is desperate for a drink it will typically bend slightly at the top of the leaf and / or the leaf will take on a slightly shriveled appearance like a frozen pea. If in doubt err on the side of under watering.

Grrrrrrrr - Root rot

It is a good habit to regularly gently squeeze the bottom of the leaves near the soil level. If at any stage these feel soft or mushy root rot may be creeping in and it is time to pull those leaves out.

Why I love snake plants

Snake plants appeal to my sensory love of plants. They are a smooth textural plant that I do enjoy touching and visually their architectural appearance makes them stand out amongst a cluster of other plants. They work as a mass grouping of like varieties or you can mix them up for more interest. A large snake plant on its own is also an eye catching statement plant. They are also a powerful air purification plant, as consistently proven by NASA studies helping people understand the power of plants in improving people’s health and well being and combating sick building syndrome. Don’t go eating them or feeding them to your kids, dogs, cats, although their toxicity is minor it may make you feel a little ill.

What’s more – the snake plant was first cultivated and used as a treasured house plant centuries ago by the Chinese as they believed their Gods had bestowed them with powerful virtues and that those who kept snake plants inside their homes would be blessed with long life, prosperity, intelligence, health and strength (amongst other things). We are told to keep them at the entrance to our rooms and homes so the virtues can circulate amongst everyone living in the home.

Perhaps then the panic buying should be for Snake Plants because all toilet paper can do is wipe your bum !

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